Agricultural innovation and adaptation to climate change: empirical evidence from diverse agro-ecologies in South Asia

Article


Bhatta, G., Ojha, H., Aggarwal, P., Sulaiman, V., Sultana, P., Thapa, D., Mittal, N., Dahal, K., Thompson, P. and Ghimire, L. 2017. Agricultural innovation and adaptation to climate change: empirical evidence from diverse agro-ecologies in South Asia. Environment, Development and Sustainability. 19 (2), pp. 497-525. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-015-9743-x
TypeArticle
TitleAgricultural innovation and adaptation to climate change: empirical evidence from diverse agro-ecologies in South Asia
AuthorsBhatta, G., Ojha, H., Aggarwal, P., Sulaiman, V., Sultana, P., Thapa, D., Mittal, N., Dahal, K., Thompson, P. and Ghimire, L.
Abstract

While impacts of climate change on agricultural systems have been widely researched, there is still limited understanding of what agricultural practices evolves over time in response to both climatic and non-climatic drivers and how actors mobilize their resources, institutions and practices in South Asia. Through eight case studies and a survey of300 households in 15 locations in India, Nepal and Bangladesh, this paper generates empirical evidence on emerging agricultural interventions in contrasting socio-economic, geographical and agro-ecological contexts. The study shows that several farm practices emerge out in response to multiple drivers over time; some of them can be further adjusted to the challenge of climate change by planned adaptation programs. Most actors, however, have considered private risks in the short run. Although there has been some progress in streamlining climate change into strategic planning in different countries of South Asia, policy, research and extension systems lack adequate attention to wider resilience of the system. Based on this analysis, we recommend that adaptation policies should complement farmers’ responses to climate change through informed research and extension systems and pro-poor government policies that improve adaptation and coordinate activities of different actors.

Research GroupFlood Hazard Research Centre
PublisherSpringer
JournalEnvironment, Development and Sustainability
ISSN1387-585X
Electronic1573-2975
Publication dates
Online22 Dec 2015
Print01 Apr 2017
Publication process dates
Deposited29 Apr 2016
Accepted10 Dec 2015
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10668-015-9743-x

Additional information

First published online: 22 December 2015

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-015-9743-x
LanguageEnglish
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